Spring-winding machine



May 10, 1932. M. NIGRO 1,357,360

SPRING WINDING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l Mcket Myra I May 10, 1932. M. NIGRO 1,857,860

SPRING WINDING MACHINE Filed May 29 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 10, 1932 M, NIGRQ 1,857,860

SPRING WINDING MACHINE Filed May 29 1950. 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Make! Myra y 1932- M. NIGRO SPRING WINDING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 10, M NlGRQ SPRING WINDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 29. 1950 Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

v MICHEL NIGRO, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T SLEEPER &, HAIRTLEY, INC., 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS SPRING-WINDING MACHINE Application filed May 29,

The present; invention relates to a machine for winding springs characterized by two or more series of convolutions wound upon each other coaxially, each cycle of operation of the machinebeing adapted toproduce a complete multiple wound spring from a continuous length of wire stock.

Springs having series of convolutions wound upon each other have a wide variety of uses, and one advantageous feature common to all such springs is the fact that for a given overall length, a multiple-wound spring contains more stock than a single wound spring of the same overall length. Multiple-wound springs of the type produced by the present machine are particularly adapted for use as electrical resistance coils by reason of their compactness and the fact that the springs can be wound with the convolutions so spaced as to permit their beinginsulated from each other. The machine of the present invention is adapted to produce multiple-wound springs with a considerable range of length andpitch, and the above and other advantageous features of the machine will hereinafter more fully appear with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine embodying the invention. r

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4a shows parts of Fig. 4 in a different position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view along the line 55 of Fig.- 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view along the line 77 of Fig.3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8'is a fragmentary, horizontal see;

1930. Serial No. 457,353

tiona'l view alongthe line 88 .of Fig. 1 showing the parts on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a completed spring made by the machine. 3

Like reference characters refer to .like parts in'the different figures.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings certain parts are shown as being constructed in the same manner as are portions of the spring-winding machines shown in Patent No. 1,045,900, issued December 3, 1912, and in Patent No. 1,368,297 issued February 15, 1921, to Frank H. Sleeper. The spring-winding machines shown and described in the two above-mentioned patents, however, are only adapted for winding coils with a single series of convolutions, and the machine of the present inven tion makes use of certain basic mechanisms of the previously patented machines only as the simplest means of obtaining certain 1'6? sults in its operating cycle, as will hereinafter appear. I

As best shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the operative parts of the machine are mounted upon a supporting stand 1 and power is ap plied to the machine by means of a pulley 2 carried upon one end of a driving shaft 3. The drive shaft 3 extends beneath the stand 1 and carries at its other end a pinion 4,.see Fig. 1, which is in mesh'with a gear 5 carried on the outer end of a counter-shaft 6 journaled in suitable bearings 7 -7 on the supporting stand 1, see Fig.3. The shaft 6 carries a cam 8 which is adapted to impart reciprocatory movement to a slide 9 carrying a roll 10 held in engagement with the cam 8 by means of a spring 11 connected at its ends to the slide 9 and to a fixed portion of the ma chine. The slide 9 provides a series of rack teeth 12 which are in mesh with a pinion 13 on a shaft 14 and rotation of the shaft 14 by movement of the slide 9 is adaptedto be imparted to a pair of feed rolls 15, 15 through suitable gearing 16. The gearing 16 includes a ratcheting device which is fully shown and described in the aforesaid Patent No. 1,045,900 and functions so that movement of the slide 9 in one directiononly, imparts fr0- tation to the feed rolls15. As a result the 10 rolls 15 are intermittently rotated to feed wire stock 17 at intervals in the direction of the arrow towards a winding spindle 18 the operation of which will next be described.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the gear 5 carries a crank pin 19 which is adapted to actuate, through a pivoted connecting rod 20, a rack 21 slidably supported for horizontal movement on suitable ways 21a on the supporting stand, see Fig. 1. The stroke of the rack 21 is variable by adjustment of a head carrying the pin 19 in a slottedguide 22 on the face of the gear 5, the open end of the guide 22 being shown clearly in Fig. 3. The teeth of the rack 21 are in mesh with a pinion 23, Fig. 1, carried at the lower end of a vertical shaft 24 which carries at its upper end a gear 25 in mesh with the teeth of an elongated pinion 26 carried by the winding spindle 18. The gear 25 is loose on the vertical shaft 24 and a clutch device is interposed between the shaft 24 and the gear 25 whereby the shaft 24 is positively connected to the gear 25, in only one direction of rotation of the shaft 24 with a yielding connection in the other direction of rotation. The clutch device comprises a collar 27 on the shaft 24 providing a tooth 27 an adapted to engage a tooth 28 on the gear25 in one direction of rotation of the shaft 24. In the other direction of rotation of p shaft 24, a spring29 connected at its ends to lugs 29a and 296' on the collar 27 and gear 25 respectively holds the teeth yieldingly in engagement so that rotation of the winding spindle 18 and gear 25 may be arrested independently of the shaft 24, f0r a purpose which will hereinafter apear. p The winding spindle 18 is s'lidably mounted for vertical movement in bearings 30 and its lower end carries a spring winding arbor 31, as best shownin Fig. 4. The upper end of the-spindle 18 is adapted for the adjustable attachmentithereto of a non-rotatable dle is determined by stop nuts 33, 33 coope'rating with a threaded extension 34 of the spindle. The collar 32 provides oppositely projecting pins 35 which are received in notches 36 of a bifurcated head 37 provided at one end of a lever 38, see Fig.3. The lever 38 is pivoted at 39 on a bracket 40- extending upwardly from the stand 1 and its other end is pivotally attached to the upper end of a plunger41 adapted for vertical sliding movement in a guide 42 carried by the supporting stand 1. As described in the aforementioned Patent No. 1,368,297, vertical movement of the plunger 41 is adapted to cause longitudinal movement of the winding spindle 18 simultaneously with its rotative movements, and the manner in which the machine of the present inventionutilizes the'combin'ed axial and rotative movement of the winding spindie 18 to produce springs with multiple'se- 'ries of convolutions wound upon each other will next be described.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 7 and 8, there is interposed between the spring-winding arbor 31 and the feed rolls 15 a wire feeding bushing 43 providing a. longitudinalopening 44 which is adapted to deliver the wire 17 to the arbor 31 between the peripheral surface thereof and the winding pin 45 (see Fig. 4) the line of wire feed being represented by 'the'dot and dash line X in Fig. 3. As best shown in Fig. 7, the wire feeding bushing 43 is supported by a holder 46 which in turn is carried by a bracket 47 vertically adjustable on a rod 48 extending upwardly from the supporting stand 1, so that the line of wire feed X is capable of adjustment as desired with respect to the winding pin 45 on the arbor 31. 4 i

As best shown in Figs. 5 and 3, at the beginning of a. spring-winding operation, the rolls 15 are adapted to deliver the wire 17 to a guide 49 providing a notch 50 for the reception of the wire. The wire guide 49 is mounted on a plunger 51 carrying at its end a roll 52 in engagement with the surface of a cam 53 mounted on a shaft 54. As shown in Fig. 3, the shaft54 extends parallel to the axis of wire feed and is connected by gearing 55 to a second shaft 56 having its axis parallel'to the shaft 54. The shaft 56 is in turn driven from the power shaft 6 by bevel'gears 57, so that movement of the wire guide plunger 51 is in timed relation with the movement of the feed rolls 15. With the wire guide 49 in its forward position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the notch 50 therein serves to direct the wire between the periphery of the arbor 31 and the Winding pin 45, so that movement of the feed rolls following the forward movement of the wire guide 49 causes a predetermined length of wire to be fed between the then stationary arbor 31 and its pin 45; consequently the wire is in'position for winding on the arbor. 11'.

However, before the arbor 31 is turned by rotation of the winding spindle 18, the portion of the wire projecting beyond the arbor is bent upwardly parallel to the axis of winding by means of a side bending device, best shownin Figs. 4 and 8. The side bending device comprises a spindle 58 rotatably and slidably. mounted in bearings 59 provided by a stationary bracket 60. The end of the spindle provides a bending pin 61 and a roll 62 having a space therebetween substantially equal to the diameter of the wire being coiled. Normally the spindle 58 is maintained in the retracted position shown in Fig. 4 in which the pin 61 and roll 62 are out of the line of feed of the wire past thewinding pin 45. However, when a predetermined length of wire has beenfed past the winding pin 45, as previously described,

with the arbor 31 in its lowest position, the l spindle 58 is moved toward the arbor 31 into the position shown in the fragmentary view Fig. 4a in which it will be seen that the wire 17 is received between the pin 61 and the roll 62. This wire engaging movement of the spindle 58 is accomplished by, means of a-rocker 63 pivotally mounted at 64 with a recess 65 in the end thereof engaging a ring 66 which forms part of aballbearing mounted on a sleeve 67 in threaded engagement with a reduced portion 68 of the spindle 58. Turning movement is imparted to the rocker 63 in one direction by means of its engagement with the surface of a cam 70 mounted on the shaft 54. The cam 7 0 is so formed that following the feeding of a predetermined length of wire past the winding pin as, the spindle 58 is moved toward the axis of coiling to cause the wire to be received between the bending pin 61 and its associated roll 62, as shown in Fig. 4a. The spindle 58 remains stationary for a pe riod following its forward movement due to a dwell on the cam 70, whereupon a projection 71 on a cam 72 also mounted on shaft 54 imparts a rotative movement to the spindle 58 by mechanism which is best shown in Fig. 1.

This rotation of the spindle 58 is accomplished by means of a vertically movable rack 73 slidably mounted between guide plates 74 carried by the bearing brackets 60 which support the spindle 58. As best shown in Fig. 8, the portion of the spindle 58 between the bearings 59 provides teeth 75 in mesh with the teeth on the rack 73, so that vertical movement of the rack 7 3 will cause rotation of the spindle 58. It is to be notedthat the teeth 75 on the spindle 58 are longer than the teeth on the rack, so that as the spindle 58 is moved forward by the cam 70, as previously described, the teeth 75 will remain in engagement with the rack which is capable of vertical movement only between the guides 74:. As best shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of the rack is pivotally connected to a lever 76 pivotally mounted on a pin 77 with a portion beyond the pin 77 carrying a roll 78 in engagement with the surface of the cam 72.

The operating projection 71 on the cam 72 is so positioned with relation to the operating portion of the cam 70 that as soon as the spindle 58 is projected towards the winding arbor 31 to position the wire between the bending pin 61 and roll 62, the rack 73 will be moved upwardly and thereby impart a turning movement of substantially 90 to the spindle 58. hen this occurs, the portion of the wire which has been fed beyond the pin 61 is bent upwardly from the line of wire feed through an angle of substantially 90, so that the end portion of the wire extends vertically and substantially parallel to the axis of the winding arbor 31. Following the bending operation ust described, the bending spindle 58 retreats from the wind-. ing arbor, a track portion 7 0a on the cam 53 engaging the cam roll 69 carried by the rocker 63 and withdrawing the spindle 58 to the position shown in Fig. 4, in which the bending pin 61 is entirely withdrawn from the wire.

When the side bending spindle 58 has been fully withdrawn, rotation of the shaft 6 causes the rack 21 to impart rotative movement to the winding spindle 18, which movement causes the wire to be wound in the form of a helix around the arbor 31. As the winding spindle 18 is rotated, it is simultaneously moved upwardly by rocking of the lever 38 in response to downward movement of the plunger tl. As best shown in Fig. 2, vertical movement of the plunger 41 is caused by the cooperation of a roll 41a carried thereby with a groove 79 providedon a cam, or former, 80 carried by therack 21 which imparts rotative movement to the winding spindle 18. The groove 7 9 is in the form of a shallow V so that the first portion of the forward movement of the rack 21 causes the plunger 41 to be drawn down to thereby move the winding spindle 18 upwardly, simultaneously with its rotative movement, until the plunger roll 41a reaches the lowest point of the groove 79.

Following this, further movement of the rack 21 towards its extreme position causes the movement of the plunger 41 to be reversed, so that continued rotative movement of the winding spindle 18 is accompanied by downward movement of the same in response to upward movement of the plunger 11.

The net result of the combined rotative and up and down movement of the winding spindle 18, just described, is the formation of a double helix. When the winding spindle 18 starts to rotate, with an upward movement, it is obvious that a helix will be wound thereon consisting of a series of convolutions the pitch of which will be determined by the rate of upward movement of the spindle. The first helix is completed when upward movement of the spindle ceases and further rotation of the spindle 18, accompanied by a downward movement, will cause a second helix to be woundover the helix already formed, the second helix having the same pitch, but being wound in the reverse direction.

In order to assist in the reversal of the direction of winding, the arbor 31 has coopcrating therewith a pressure plate 81 the construction of which is best. shown in Fig. 4. The pressure plate 81 is carried by a stem 82 which is rotatably mounted in anti-friction bearings 83 carried by a plunger 84. The plunger 84 is vertically movable in a supporting bracket 85 and is adapted to be operated by means of ahead 86. As best shown in Fig. 1, the operating head 86 provides pins 1 87 engaged by a yoke 88 provided at one end of a'lever 89. The lever 89 is mounted on a rock shaft 90 which is adapted to be turned by means of a lever 91 carrying at its end a roll 92 inengagement with the surface of a cam 93. As shown, the head 86 is in its lowest position where it remains while the first series of convolutions are being wound on the arbor. IIOWQVQIQ WhGH upward motion of the winding spindle 18 ceases, the cam 93 turns the lever 91 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby causingthe head 86 to move the pressure plate 81 upwardly into contact with the lower end of the helix just formed.

Since the pressure plate 81 is supported in ball bearings, it turns with the spring, and

when the winding spindle starts to move downwardly, following the winding of the first helix, upward pressure of the plate 81, combined with downward movement of the spindle, causes the direction of winding to be reversed, so that continued rotation of the spindle winds the second helix over the helix just wound. While the second helix is being wound over the first helix, the plate 81 remains in contact with the end of the spring and revolves therewith.

As the rack 21 starts on its return movement following the winding of a double spring, rotation of the cam shaft 54 brings into operation a cutting tool the construction of which is shown in Fig. 6. The cutting tool 94is mounted in a holder 95 carried at one end of the lever 96 supported on a rock shaft 97 with its other end carrying a roll 96a in engagement with a cam v98 on the cam shaft 54. In the position shown the upper end of the cutting tool 94: is positioned against the face of a cutoff bushing 99 which receives the end of the wire feed bushing 48 along the line of wire feed, which position is maintained during the spring winding operations. However, when the winding spindle 18 starts to reverse at the end of the winding operation, a projection 98a on the cam 98 rocks the lever 96, thereby causing the cutter 94L to move upwardly past the end of the bushing 99, thereby severing the wire.

As the wire is severed, the completed double spring is kept from falling off the arbor 31 by the pressure plate 81' and immediately following the cutting operation the plate 81 moves downwardly in response to the turning of the lever 89 by the cam 93. As the pressure plate 81 moves downwardly, the

completed double spring slides off the arbor 31, and when the plate 81 reaches its lowermost point, the spring is clear of the arbor and is entirely supported by the plate 81. This clearing of the spring from the arbor 31 is assisted by upward movement of the spindleby the cam 80 asthe rack 21 is withdrawn by the connecting rod preparatory to the nextcoiling operation, the arbor final- 1y returning to its lower position shown in shown in Fig. 9 out of the Fig. 4 when the plunger roll 41a reaches the right-hand end of the cam groove 79. By this time, however, the pressure plate 81 .has reached its lowermost position with the spring clear of the arbor 31.

lVhen the completed spring has been cleared of the arbor and is supported by the lowered plate 81, it is ejected from the machine by the forward movement of an ejector bar 100 actuated by a mechanism best shown in Fig. 8. The ejector bar 100 is horizontal-1y movable in a line offset from the line of wire feed, and terminates in a curved head 101 normally positioned clear of the winding arher 31. The bar 100 is adapted to be reciprocated by means of a lever 102 pivoted at 103 and connected at one end by a link 104 to the bar 100. The other end of the lever 102 carries a roll 105 held in engagement with a cam 106 by a spring 107. During the spring winding operation the head 101 of the ejector remains inv the position shown in Fig. 8, but when pressure plate 81 descends to its lowest position to clear a completed spring from the arbor 31, a notch 106a on the cam 106 permits the spring 107 to turn the lever 102 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 103, thereby causing the head 101 of the ejector bar 100 to sweep across the pressure plate 81, thereby pushing the completed spring machine. This movement of the ejector completes the operating cycle of the machine, as further rotation of the shaft 56 causes the bar to return to its normal position and the machine is then ready for the forward feeding of the v. irepreparatory to winding another spring.

The feeding of the wire by the rolls 15 takes place when the spindle 18 is held against retation as it reaches its lowest position on the nonwinding stroke of the rack 21. The locking of the spindle 18 is caused by the engagement of. a collar 1.08 mounted on the spindle with a stationary stop 109 projecting upwardly from the bearing bracket as the spindle 18 reaches its lowermost position,-see Fig. 2. As previously pointed out, the reversal of rotation of the shaft 24 by the rack 21, after the winding operation breaks the positive connection between the shaftQt and gear 25 through the clutch teeth 27a and 28; consequently the spring 29 yields when the spindle 18 is locked and the shaft 24 turns independently thereof. This dwell in the turning of the spindle 18 permits feeding of the wire and immediately afterwards the winding begins upon reversal of the rotation of the shaft 24:.

From the foregoing it is apparent that by the present invention there is provided ail lmproved spring-winding machine which is adapted for each operating cycle to produce a complete multiple-wound spring from a continuous length of wire stock, the complete spring being ejected from the machine before the winding of another spring is started. Briefly stated the operating cycle of the machine begins with the advance of the wire guide 49 accompanied by operation of the feed rolls 16 which push the front end of the wire 17 toward the arbor, with the notch 50 in the end of the guide 49 supporting the wire and insurin its deliverytangentially to the arbor 31. s the feeding movement of the wire by the rolls 15 stops, the side bending spindle 58 moves forward so as to position the end portion of the wire between the bending pin 61 and its cooperating roll 62, whereupon the spindle 58 is rotated through an angle of 90 to bend the end portion of the Wire beyond the arbor upwardly so that it is parallel with the axis of winding, see Fig. 9. At this time the arbor 31 is in its lowest position with the wire adjacentthe bend received between the winding pin 45 and the arbor 31 and as the side bending spindle 58 is withdrawn, forward movement of the rack 21 causes the winding spindle 18 to revolve. At the same time the forming cam 80 causes the spindle 18 to rise, thereby causing a series of convolutions to be wound on the arbor 31 in a right-hand helix, the pitch of which is determined by the amount of vertical movement of the winding spindle 18.

WVhen the roll 41a of the plunger 41 reaches the lowest point of the cam groove 79, the winding spindle 18 is at the upper limit of its vertical movement and further rotation of the spindle 18 by the rack 21 results in the vertical movement of the spindle 18 being reversed so that it moves downwardly at the same rate at which it was moved upwardly to form the first helix. At the moment the winding spindle 18 reaches the upper limit of its travel, and just before it starts the downward movement, the pressure plate 81 rises to engage and support the lower end of the helix which has just been wound so that when the spindle starts its downward movement, the upward pressure of the plate 81 supports the second helix as it is wound over the helix previously formed. Thewinding of the outer helix continues until the spindle 18 reaches the lower limit of its vertical movement at which point the wire guide 49 retreats, and the cut-off tool 94 swings across the face of the bushing 99 to sever the completed coil. At the moment of severance, the spring is held from falling off the arbor 31 by the pressure plate 81 which now descends and allows the spring to slide 011' thejupwardly moving arbor. As the pressure plate 81 reaches its lowest position the ejector 100 moves forward to cause the head 101 to sweep across the plate 81 and push the completed spring out of the machine.

It will be evident from a consideration of Fig. 9 that the completed spring consists of two series of convolutions one overlying the other with the end portion of the innermost convolution extending upwardly parallel to the axis of the coil and with the end portion of the outermost convolution extending tangentially with relation to the coil.- These straight end portions extending at right angles to each other provide convenient means for attaching the ends of the coil, particularly when the coil is used as an electrical resistance. Y

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a winding arbor capable of combined rotative and longitudinal movement and means for delivering wire to the periphery of said arbor, of means for moving said arbor in one direction while rotating the same to cause a single series of convolutions to be wound thereon, and means for reversing the longitudinal movement of said arbor to cause a'second series of convolutions to be wound over the first series of convolutions. a 2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a windingvarbor capable of combined rotative and longitudinal movement and means for'delivering wire to the periphery of said arbor, of means for imparting rotative movement to said arbor in one direction while simultaneouslyimparting longitudinal movement thereto in opposite directions, whereby to coil said wire first into a helix of one pitch and then into a helix of the opposite pitch overlying the first helix.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an arbor capable of rotative and longitudinal movement and means for feeding wire beyond said arbor in engagement with thefperiphery thereof, of

means for bending upwardly the portion of wire fed past said arbor, means for rotating said arbor to wind saidfwire in the form of a helix, and meansfor severing said wire at a distance from said arbor to provide a helix having straight terminal portions-at right angles to each other.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an arbor capable of rotative and longitudinal movement and means for feeding wire beyond said arbor in engagement with the periphery thereof, of means for bending a portion of the wire fed past said arbor to extend parallel to the axis of said arbor, means for rotating said arbor while simultaneously imparting longitudinal movement thereto in opposite directions to coil the wire in overlying helixes thereon, and means for severing said wire at a point removed from said arbor to provide a double coil with straight terminal portions extending at right angles to each other at the same end.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an arbor capable of rotative and longitudinal movement and means for delivering wire to the periphery of said arbor, of 'means for rotating said. arbor through a predetermined angle" accompanied by upward movement of the same to wind said wirein the form of a helix on said arbor, means for yieldably'engag ing the end of said helix, and means for rotating said arbor through a further angle accompanied by downward movement of the same, whereby to reverse the direction of winding o-fthe'wire and coilthe second helix over the first helix.

6. In a machine of the class described,ithe Combination with an arbor capable ofrot'a tive and longitudnal movement and means for delivering wire tothe periphery of'saiid arbor, of means for rotating said arbor through a predetermined angle accompanied by upward movement of the same to wind said wire in the form of a helix on saidv arbor, means for yieldably engaging the endof said helix, means for rotating said arbor through a further angle accompanied by downward movement of the same whereby'to' reverse the direction of winding of'th'e wire and coil a second" helix over the first helix, means for severing'the wirefollowingthe formation of the second'helix, and means for releasing theyieldable means engaging. the endof the double helix'to' perlnit'the removal of'the same fromthe arbor.

7. In a machine of the classdescri'bed the combination with an arborcapabl'e of rotative and longitudinal movement and means for feeding wire beyond saidi arbor in err-- gagement with the periphery'thereof' while said arbor remainsstationary in its lowerm'ost position, of'means-for bending the end portion of the wire fed'past the arbor at: right angles to the lineof feed*, means for rotating said arbor while simultaneously imparting longitudinal movement" thereto in opposite directions to: coil wire in overlying helixe's' thereon, means for yield'ab'liy maintaining the heliXes on the arbor'durin the coilingoperation, means for severing t 1e wire, and means for withdrawing said yieldable coilengaging'means to cause the removal of the double coil from said arbor.

MICHEL NIGRO. 

